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<title>Don't be scared.  I'm right here. by mrnorrell</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23169823">Don't be scared.  I'm right here.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrnorrell/pseuds/mrnorrell'>mrnorrell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age: Inquisition</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Child Abuse, Childhood Memories, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Nightmares, Slavery, Violence, lavellan - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:49:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>826</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23169823</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrnorrell/pseuds/mrnorrell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"He ran through the darkened streets, tripping over the cobblestones, barely keeping his balance.  Faster, his brain urged him, faster!  If they catch you, you're dead!"  </p><p> </p><p>Submitted as part of r/dragonage writing prompt</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Burning Hearts Collection</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Don't be scared.  I'm right here.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Please be aware of warnings and tags!  This short work contains depictions of child abuse, violence, and implied sexual abuse.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Don’t be scared.  I’m right here.</strong>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He ran through the darkened streets, tripping over the cobblestones, barely keeping his balance.  Faster, his brain urged him, faster! If they catch you, you're dead! He barely had time to catch his breath.  But he couldn't stop. His chest ached, desperate for air, his body sore from the abuse. Why would they do this?  He only asked them to stop. Tears blurred his vision and he wiped them in anger. Somewhere in the distance, he heard shouts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>"Search every street!  I want that rat found!"  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>He scrambled around a dark corner, nearly falling over a crate.  A hiding spot. He crouched behind it, pushing himself as far into the corner as possible, clamping his mouth shut with his trembling hands.  Smaller, smaller! They can't find you here! But his beating heart would surely betray him! They must hear it, it beat so loudly! Quiet as a mouse!  Don't breathe, don't make a sound. His body shook uncontrollably, his bones rattling as loud as a horse's gallop on a cobble road. And then suddenly, as if on cue,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>"I found him!"  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>One of the shem towered above him, torchlight held high, knife gleaming in his other hand.  His face held a terrifying grin, exposing a set of rotting teeth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>"Thought you could get away from us, knife ears?  I'll show you!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>He scrambled to his feet, trying to get away, but the shem caught him by the arm and violently threw him to the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>"Leaving so soon?" he leered.  "We're just getting started!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>No.  No! Not like this!  He couldn't push past his fear.  But he sprang to his feet nonetheless and rushed head on at the human.  He didn't know how to fight, but the fear mixed with adrenaline made him reckless.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>"What the-"  The shem grunted as his head connected with his gut.  The impact made him drop both the knife and the torch.  "Why, you little-!"  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>He didn't pause.  He swung his arms wildly, trying desperately to connect his punches.  But his body was weak from lack of sleep and food and he didn't see the shem's arm coming in from below.  The punch knocked the wind out of him and sent him flying. He fell to the ground in a heap of limbs, curling around his stomach, tears streaming down his face.  It hurt. Everything hurt. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
  <span>Then a kick, and another, over and over again.  He wrapped his hands around his head in a desperate effort to protect himself from the blows, but they just kept coming.  A sickening crunch filled his ears as his ribs shattered within him. He screamed, but no sound came out, deadened by the blood pooling in his throat.  He coughed, his eyes darting around, searching for something, anything! Something silver glinted nearby and he fixated on it. The knife. With the last bit of determination, he snatched it and drove it deep into the human's calf.  A terrifying howl filled the night air, but he didn't dare stop. He plunged the knife in over and over again, with a sickening squelch. He didn't stop when the shem fell to his knees, and he didn't stop when the shem collapsed to the ground.  He only stopped when his arms couldn't move anymore. He sobbed, his breathing coming in shallow gasps. Before him was a mess of blood, guts, and torn fabric. The knife clattered to the ground, leaving a ringing in his ears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>He had done this.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Horror settled in the pit of his stomach as he stared at the mangled body, hands covered in blood that was still dripping.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>What had he done?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>He tried to wipe it off, but the more he did, the more blood there seemed to be.  It pooled around his legs, reaching for him with bloody appendages, dragging him down.  The ground beneath him gave out and he was suddenly drowning, his cries for help muted. He struggled to reach the surface and each time he did, a wave would force him back down.  He was drowning in an ocean of blood of his own making, but for the first time he didn't want to die. He wasn't ready! Not yet! He clawed desperately for the surface.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>As he broke through again, he saw a faint light in the distance, followed by a familiar voice.  Sure and calm, it sang familiar words.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tel'enfenim, da'len</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Irassal ma ghilas</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ma garas mir renan</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ara ma'athlan vhenas</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ara ma'athlan vhenas</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>'Rhen awoke with a start, his breathing shallow, body covered in sweat.  Another nightmare. It took a moment for his vision to adjust and his heartbeat to slow back down to a normal rhythm.   Evelline was by his side, her little fingers tightly woven around his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>"It's alright," she whispered softly, "don't be scared.  I'm here."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>He let out a long sigh and relaxed back into the pillows.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>It was just a nightmare.  He was safe now.</span>
</p>
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